Islamic State uses dust storm as cover for desert attack on Iraqi soldiers
An Islamic State cell operating in Iraq’s largely desert province of Anbar killed two Iraqi soldiers the day after an armed drone allegedly from Iran-linked armed groups was shot down at a major base hosting coalition forces in the same area.
BAGHDAD – Islamic State (IS) fighters took advantage of reduced visibility resulting from a massive dust storm blanketing large parts of Iraq in recent days to carry out an attack on Iraqi Army soldiers in the country’s westernmost province.
IS later claimed responsibility for the April 9 attack, which occurred on a road near the town of Hit, about 50 kilometers northwest of the regional capital Ramadi. The attack killed two soldiers who were part of the Jazeera and Badia Operations Command.
IS reportedly claimed 120 attacks in Iraq in the first quarter of 2022, and another 77 were claimed by the group across the border in Syria.
The Anbar province is divided into two military operations areas, with the eastern part covering the regional capital of Ramadi and Fallujah and the western part stretching to the Syrian border.
